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BBC Look North editor Tim Smith wants to increase the number of viewers from ethnic minority groups

“The suggestion that viewers only watch people who look like them is also quite insulting.”

The email, sent by Look North editor Tim Smith, reads: “As you know, one of Look North’s objectives is to reach people from BAME (black, Asian, ethnic minority) communities who don’t watch Look North as much.

"Viewing figures suggest that 52 per cent of white adults in Yorkshire watch us once a week, but only 33 per cent of BAME adults do.

“We now have a target of 15 per cent of people on Look North (reporters, presenters, contributors) being from a BAME background — which reflects the population of our region and the wider BBC’s objective too.”

A BBC spokesperson defended the targets as “sensible” and said: “Everyone pays for the BBC so it’s important we reflect all audiences.”